Half a Billion Blogs on Tumblr Moving to WordPress Backend

Automattic, the company behind WordPress, is moving Tumblr’s backend to WordPress infrastructure. If you remember Verizon sold Tumblr to Automattic back in 2019 for less than $3 million.

It was a actually a huge drop from Tumblr’s earlier days when Yahoo bought it in 2013 for a whopping $1.1 billion.

Since the acquisition, Tumblr has been through a lot, including a major user drop after Verizon banned adult content.

Matt Mullenweg (Automattic, CEO) has been vocal about his plans for Tumblr. He sees it working alongside WordPress as a complementary service.

Automattic isn’t planning to change the platform’s content policies either. They’ll still follow the rules that was set by Verizon when it comes to what can and can’t be posted.

Now, Automattic is focusing on the technical side. They’re migrating Tumblr’s backend to WordPress. But don’t worry, this doesn’t mean Tumblr is turning into WordPress.

The platform’s look and feel will stay the same. This move is all about making Tumblr faster, more stable, and easier to update by using WordPress’s robust, open-source platform.

The migration is a big task, involving the transfer of half a billion blogs. Automattic describes it as one of the most challenging technical migrations ever attempted. Despite the hurdles, they’re optimistic about the benefits this transition will bring.

The goal is to simplify how new features and updates are rolled out across both platforms. Tumblr has faced financial difficulties, losing significant money even after Automattic took over. In response, Mullenweg has reorganized the Tumblr team to improve operations and efficiency.

By shifting Tumblr to WordPress, Automattic is looking for a fresh start, aiming to provide a more stable foundation for Tumblr while keeping it relevant in today’s digital world.

There’s no set timeline for when the migration will be complete, but Automattic is committed to seeing it through and making Tumblr thrive once again.